Zoologische Mededelingen Uitgegeven Door Het
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ZOOLOGISCHE MEDEDELINGEN UITGEGEVEN DOOR HET RIJKSMUSEUM VAN NATUURLIJKE HISTORIE TE LEIDEN (MINISTERIE VAN CULTUUR, RECREATIE EN MAATSCHAPPELIJK WERK) Deel 44 no. 4 29 december 1969 NOTES ON THE HERPETOFAUNA OF SURINAM I. — ITINERARY OF A HERPETOLOGICAL COLLECTING TRIP IN SURINAM IN 1968 by M. S. HOOGMOED Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden. With 11 text-figures and six plates INTRODUCTION Since a few years the present author has been engaged in a study of the herpetofauna of Surinam, which resulted in a few publications (Hoogmoed 1967, 1969a, b). In early 1968, a grant was obtained from WOTRO (Nether• lands Foundation for the Advancement of Tropical Research, grant W956-2) which enabled me to undertake a seven months collecting trip in Surinam. From the start the purpose was to obtain specimens from several localities in the interior, as the coastal area was thought to be fairly well explored. Moreover, other important goals were to obtain information on the ecology and colours of the living animals and, in the case of the frogs and toads, to make sound records. As a well developed road system in Surinam only exists near the coast and between Paramaribo and the Brokopondo artificial lake, the localities in the interior have to be reached by boat or by air. Because of the short duration of my stay I had to make use of airtransportation to rapidly reach places in the interior, from there making short trips in the surroundings either on foot or by boat. Thus the assembling of a representative collection from various parts of the country could be attempted. ITINERARY 24 April 1968-20 November 1968 24-27 April: Paramaribo. 27-30 April: Bigisanti beach. 48 ZOOLOGISCHE MEDEDELINGEN 44 (1969) 27: trip by motorboat ("piaka") from Paramaribo to Bigisanti by way of Suriname River, Commewijne River, Matapica Canal and Atlantic Ocean; 28: trip to the deserted post Brandwacht on Mot Creek, collecting on the beach, at night observation of egg laying sea turtles; 29: collecting on Bigisanti beach; 30: return journey from Bigisanti to Paramaribo along the same route as on 27. I- 8 May: Paramaribo and environs. 3, 4, 5 : collecting in Botanical Garden, among cocoa trees and along roadsides. 8-9 May: Troeli Creek. 8: by car from Paramaribo via Zanderij to Troeli Creek, collecting on savannah and in gallery forest both at day and at night ; 9 : collecting on savannah and in gallery forest, back to Paramaribo. 10 May: Paramaribo. II- 14 May: Mapane Creek area (Forest Service Encampment 8). 11 : from Paramaribo by car via Domburg and Paranam to Phedra, from there by corial (native canoe provided with outboard motor) to Auca and by car to Encampment 8, in the evening collecting by lamplight in the surrounding forest; 12: in daytime collecting trip in the surrounding forest, in the evening collecting along a forest creek; 13: collec• ting trip in eastern direction through forest ; 14 : back to Paramaribo by car via Blakka- watra to Jodensavanne, from there by corial to Carolina and then by car via Lelydorp ; along the road some collecting was done. 14-19 May: Paramaribo and environs. 16 : in the evening collecting trip to Overtoom, collecting in pool ; 18 : in daytime col• lecting in the Botanical Garden, in the evening collecting trip to Onverwacht (swamp) and Zanderij (savannah-pools). 20-31 May: Airstrip Vincent Fajk-Paloemeu. 20 : from Zanderij (airfield) by air to Paloemeu ; collecting in the surroundings of the airstrip ; 21 : short collecting trips around the airstrip ; 22 : collecting on the airstrip and adjacent river bank; 23: collecting trip in forest on southern bank of Tapanahoni River opposite airstrip, in southerly direction; 24: collecting trip in forest on northern bank of Tapanahoni River, 15 minutes downstream by corial from airstrip, in northeasterly direction ; 25 : purchasing of reptiles in native Indian village near airstrip ; 26 : short collecting trip in forest on southern bank of Tapanahoni River opposite airstrip, in southerly direction ; 27 : collecting trip in forest on northern bank of Tapanahoni River, 10 minutes downstream by corial from the airstrip, in northerly direction to tower for aero-mapping project; in the evening collecting near airstrip; 28: collecting trip in for• est on southern bank of Tapanahoni River opposite airstrip, in southerly direction ; 29 : while waiting for DC-3 airplane (which did not arrive), some collecting near the air• strip; 30: collecting trip on northern bank of Tapanahoni River from airstrip through cultivated land ("grondjes" = shifting gardens) and forest in northerly direction; 31: back to Zanderij (airfield) and from there by car to Paramaribo. 1-7 June: Paramaribo and environs. 3 : trip by piaka to breeding colony of red ibises, egrets and herons, at night col• lecting in garden during heavy rain; 4: in the evening collecting in forest along creek at Berlijn and along savannah pool near Zanderij ; 6 : in the evening collecting along Sabakoe Creek, in Zanderij and Bernhardsdorp. HOOGMOED, HERPETOFAUNA OF SURINAM I 49 8-9 June: between Paramaribo and Albina. 8: collecting trip by car in the direction of Albina, stops to collect at Mooi Wana Creek, between Pikien Mooi Wana Creek and Neger Creek, Seliwanowsky Ravine, 1 km east of Moengo Tapoe, Heide Bridge and 5 km west of Moengo Tapoe. All collecting was done by lamplight, near creeks and pools in the forest and in open swamps ; 9 : back to Paramaribo. 10-18 June: Eilanti beach and environs. 10: journey to Eilanti, first by car via Moengo and Moengo Tapoe to Albina, from there by piaka to Eilanti via Christiaankondre and Galibi ; 11: collecting on the beach near the settlement ; 13 : cruise by piaka to Langamankondre, some collecting near the village; 14: from Langamankondre to Organabo Beach (French Guiana), but because of the powerful waves a landing was not possible, so returned to Eilanti ; in the evening some collecting was done by lamplight; 15: excursion along the beach in northwesterly direction to a sand-ridge abutting on the beach, collecting on the beach and sand-ridge; 16: collecting on beach; 18: return journey to Paramaribo via Albina, Moengo Tapoe and Moengo. 19-21 June: Paramaribo. 21 June-5 July: airstrip Coeroeni and environs. 21 : to Zanderij (airfield) by car and from there by air to airstrip Coeroeni ; some col• lecting on the airstrip; 22: collecting on the airstrip and in adjacent forest; 24: cruise by corial down the Coeroeni River to Encampment Gonini on southern bank, collecting in the surrounding flooded forest ; 25 : collecting excursion in forest along trail in south• erly direction; 26: collecting in forest surrounding Gonini Encampment; 27: trip by corial down the Coeroeni River and up the New River to Tigri Encampment, collecting in forest along trail in southerly direction parallel to New River; 28: excursion in easterly direction, along trail through forest; 29, 30: collecting in Tigri Encampment and surrounding forest; 2: collecting trip in forest along trail in southerly direction parallel to New River ; 4 : back to Coeroeni-airstrip ; 5 : by air to Zanderij airfield via Kabalebo airstrip, by car to Paramaribo. 5-12 July: Paramaribo and environs. 6 : excursion to Sabakoe Creek near Zanderij ; 10 : excursion to Kraka and Berlijn by car, collecting respectively in savannah area and in roadside ditch. 12-14 July: Brown's Mountain and environs. 12: trip by car to Brownsweg via Berlijn and Berg en Dal, in the evening collecting along road between Brownsweg and Berg en Dal in pools and creeks ; 13 : trip by car to foot of Brown's Mountain, via forest trail to top of the mountain (476 m) ; 14: back to Paramaribo via Berlijn. 14-23 July: Paramaribo and environs. 17: in the evening collecting in Botanical Garden. 23-26 July: Coesewijne area. 23: by car via Zanderij to Moeroe Creek, in the evening collecting by lamplight in pools in or bordering on the forest ; 24 : excursion in the forest near Moeroe Creek and on a savannah, in the evening collecting in roadside pools ; 25 : trip to Goliath Encamp• ment, in the evening collecting in swamp along creek ; 26 : back to Paramaribo. So ZOOLOGISCHE MEDEDELINGEN 44 (1969) 26-31 July: Paramaribo. 31 July-14 August: airstrip Kayser Mountains. 31 : by air from Paramaribo (airstrip Zorg en Hoop) to Kayser Mountains, in the evening collecting in swampy area; 1, 7: excursion through forest in southeasterly direc tion; 2: short excursion in forest in northeasterly direction, in the evening collecting in forest along creek ; 3 : collecting trip in forest along trail in northeasterly direction ; 4 : collecting on airstrip ; 5 : collecting trip in southerly direction on opposite bank of Zuid River, in forest with small savannahs enclosed ; 8 : excursion in easterly direction through partially submerged forest and small savannahs, in the evening collecting in pool on airstrip; 9: excursion through forest in northeasterly direction; 10: collecting with fish- poison in forest-creek northeast of airstrip; 11 : collecting on airstrip and adjacent small savannah; 12: trip through forest around airstrip, in the evening collecting by lamp light on bank of creek and swampy area bordering on forest; 14: by air to Zanderij (airfield) and by car to Paramaribo. 14-19 August: Paramaribo and environs. 17: in the evening collecting in rice-fields. 19-20 August: Brown's Mountain. 19: by car from Paramaribo via Paranam to Brown's Mountain with a small detour to Compagnie Creek near Brokopondo, collecting in and along creeks ; 20 : in the morning and early afternoon collecting